Aztec advances (5): treating bone fractures using intramedullar nails

‘Intramedullar nails are surgically implanted into a long bone when it has failed to callus (produce new bone growth) at the site of a fracture. If a break or a fracture in a bone fails to heal, it is generally due to the callus (strands of bony material between the two ends of a break or fracture) failing to consolidate (harden). Ancient Aztec surgeons remedied the problem of fractures that refused to heal by using an intramedullar nail. In so doing, they performed one of the most spectacular orthopaedic surgical techniques in precontact Mesoamerica. First they scraped the tissue from around the break or fracture and inserted a small piece of sticky, resinous wood (the intramedullar nail) into it. When they had completed this procedure, they covered the entire area with a medicinal plant plaster. Usually the plants they chose had antibiotic and astringent properties that prevented infections and stopped any bleeding. The area was then rebandaged. This allowed the callus to consolidate and become true bone tissue. Western medicine did not use this technique until the 20th century.’

Pic 1: Illustration showing intramedullary nailing in a femur bone. Image credit: rob.cs.tu-bs.de

It’s interesting that the Mexica cure for bone fractures included an incantation (chant), which referred to bones being the property of Mictlantecuhtli (Lord of the Underworld) and being sourced from Mictlan, the Underworld. This invokes the myth of human creation from bones in Mictlan, and seems to stress to the Aztec people the fragility of life itself, and the need to call for supernatural help for the cure. It is generally agreed today that Mexica medicine was a combination of empirical (tried-and-tested) methods and magic...

Pic 3: Aztec physician, Florentine Codex Book X; note the speech mark - to show him speaking or chanting